Conventional screw-base incandescent bulbs remain the primary source of household electrical illumination. Compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) with screw bases have been developed for household use, and they are much more efficient than incandescent bulbs. But CFLs currently account for only about 5 percent of the market for household electrical illumination bulbs, with all (or substantially all) of the remaining 95 percent being incandescent bulbs. One major reason that CFLs have not gained wider acceptance is that, relative to incandescent bulbs, they cost significantly more.
Accordingly, it can be seen that a need exists for improvements in CFLs to make them more affordable. It is to such solutions that the present invention is primarily directed.